Animal History: The Birds
by Balin Lord of Moria
Summary: What kind of people were the Birdmen like, apart from their natural arrogance? What did celebrities and civilians do on their home world as well as in the Bird Nation and Avista? A brief history of the Birds and their culture. All except Vultaire and Horus are OC's.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own _ThunderCats 2011_ or its characters.

**A/N:** Birds have been some of my favorite animals since I was a small boy, and I know a lot about them. Some of the information in this story may seem to be quasi-encyclopedic to some extent, as a result. Unfortunately, I have very little knowledge of how politics and economies operate, because I usually avoid the subject altogether, so forgive me if some of the political and economic junk in this story doesn't make complete sense.

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_**Animal History: The Birds**_

There is not enough evidence to prove how the race of sentient Birds, or Birdmen, came into existence, but they existed in the galaxy of Third Earth, nonetheless. Despite ordinary birds being mostly low on intelligence, the Bird race was highly intelligent and inventive, as well as polished and sophisticated. They were like the statesmen of the Animals galaxy, taking roles as prim and proper dignitaries that embraced the wonders of science and technology, constructed many schools and universities to teach their children in their ways, and tried to teach the ways of progress to other, more primitive races. Of course, not every race accepted this offer, and the Birdmen, not as a whole, but as a sizeable majority, developed a sense of arrogance, believing themselves to be well ahead of most of the other Animals and seeing the lower races as savages.

Despite their strong sense of self-pride and occasional overconfidence in their abilities, the Birdmen were a race that mostly developed into a force for good. On their home world, in Bird society, there was a place and a role for every kind of Bird that existed. The Birds of Prey, particularly the Eagles, Falcons, and Hawks, were considered the noblest and strongest of the Birdmen, and these Birds, especially Eagles and Hawks, were usually the Birds that governed large communities and cities. Pigeons and Doves were the wisest of the Birds, and were known to act as counselors and butlers for the Birds of Prey that ruled the land. In communities and cities that stood by a body of water, Duckmen, Geesemen, and Swanfolk were lovely swimming Birds that livened up the lakes, rivers, and even the oceans, and often served as fishermen and water recreation guides. Their fishing duties were assisted by other Birds, like Cranes, Herons, Loons, Grebes, Pelicans, and Sandpipers. Gulls, Terns, and Albatrosses served as mailmen and messengers. The elite Ravenmen were the primary military forces of the Bird world, although many Birds were capable of putting up a fight on their own, and Crowmen supplemented them as cooks, chaplains, and minstrels meant to support the Ravenmen armies.

Also standing out were the Owlfolk, nocturnal Birds of Prey that worked as guardians of Bird communities during nighttime hours, ensuring that no dangerous predators or rogue Birdmen caused any trouble for the people while they slept. Kitemen were the policemen of the Bird world, upholding the laws that the Birds made, except for around bodies of water; there, Ospreymen were the police. Game Birds, like Turkeys, Chickens, Grouses, Quails, and Pheasants, were usually employed as chefs that prepared the finest cuisine for their fellow Birds, rather than _being_ food themselves. Birds known for living in the cold regions of their world were Puffins and Penguins, especially if there was at least one large body of water nearby, though most other Birds usually came there only as visitors or tourists, due to their sensitivity to the extreme cold. Flightless Birds like Ostriches, Kiwis, and Emus lived inland usually, in forests or open plains, and liked the heat better than the cold.

Most other Birdmen were most often among the laypeople. The Birdmen were known for embracing technology, of course, but Woodpeckermen were among the few as a sub-species that preferred the more primitive life of living in the trees, like their non-sentient namesakes did, drilling holes in trees, making their homes in them, and finding their own food in the forests. The cute little Hummingbirdmen, the most diminutive Birds, also preferred to live their lives in the wild, searching for nectar and other juices from flowers in the gardens and the grasslands. All the smaller Perching Birdmen lived in contentment most of the time, and were known to be somewhat less arrogant than the higher-ranking members of their kind, but two sub-races stood out more than the others: the Warblerfolk, and the Sparrowmen. The Sparrowmen were an anomaly in the Bird race, for they were not only un-arrogant, but they were the humblest Birdmen in the Bird world, as well as the lowliest. They never put on airs, their kindness was overwhelming, and many were always ready to be selfless and help fight important or dire causes. Their bigger rulers sometimes thought they were too humble, but they were just as welcome to live in Bird society as any others. The Warblerfolk, in turn, were almost the Sparrowmen's equals in humility; they appreciated that they had more and brighter colors on their feathers than the Sparrowmen, but otherwise, they were also astoundingly kind, idealistic, and even altruistic, though one could argue that the same could be said for the cops and the men-at-arms in the Birdmen's home world.

Over the many generations of Bird history, many Birds from many sub-species and sub-races distinguished themselves as either genius scientists, professors, rulers, soldiers, and even entertainers. During the early years of their existence on their planet, an Eagleman known as Eagur was one of the earlier rulers of the United Communities of Birdmen, a government body that brought all the Birds together politically and kept the peace, preventing civil wars through negotiations and diplomacy. Some of the cities were arguing with each other over the state of their economies and the right to bear arms. Eagur was the head of the UCB, and called for a world where everyone had the right to defend themselves if necessary, because it was intelligent to do so, and that the cities learn to cooperate with each other in order to support each other's economy. Many communities around the globe came to terms with each other as a result, and a lasting peace was achieved. He was considered a hero by most Birdmen.

Over the centuries and millennia, the Birds continued to advance in their progress with machines and science while other races chose to continue using only the basics and necessities of technology. One day, however, a Monkey from the Monkey world named Denali came to their world through her less sophisticated spaceship and met the new UCB leader, Butos the Hawk, and his three counselors, Crotus the Pigeon, Whoo-Whoot the Owl, and Terese the Dove lady. Butos initially didn't think much of what he saw when he met Denali, because of her simian body and his natural arrogance, but he soon came to the conclusion that this orangutan woman was smarter than she looked, and had a few talents that even he and his Birds couldn't master. Together they made an agreement to join together as part of the Animal Confederacy the Monkeys had already started with the Thunderians, and Butos and his successors were made into representatives of the Bird world, while Crotus, Whoo-Whoot, and Terese, and their successors, would be the chief ambassadors of the Birdmen. Later, when more Animal races, like the Dogs, the Elephants, and the Lizards, to name a few, joined the Confederation, the Birds accepted them, as well, though they started to think that they had too many "simple and primitive" allies.

As the generations came and went, less high-ranking Birds carved a niche in the history books. Willow the Woodpeckerman campaigned against the rampant technology in almost every Bird society, saying that Birds were meant to live primitive, like all other Animals, but he couldn't garner enough support to make a significant mark on the views of the public. A Kiteman cop called Swellow stopped an elaborate, illegal drug ring and gambling establishment headed by a terrible criminal and killer named Jessy the Night-Heron. A detachment of Ravenmen, led by Lauro the Lethal, eliminated a threat when several rebellious Dogs came to the planet and started to tear up some of the cities. Lauro was considered to be a great military leader by his peers. A troupe of Duckmen and Swanfolk named "The Graceful Ganders" put on a series of beautiful shows for other Birds involving swimming stunts, fishing, music, and a fireworks finale. The other Birds loved it, and called the Ganders the most elegant, beautiful water Birds to date in Bird history, though some wondered why they were called the "Ganders" when there were no Geese in their group. Some Blue Jays and Bluebirds that were close friends performed their own exotic music and dance show called "The Blue Bird Group," which also won a dedicated following, as well as a much-deserved legacy. A Hummingbirdlady known as Rufeau drove off a non-Bird predator from her and her friends' favorite gardens, showing bravery in spite of her tiny size and seeming weakness. And one time, a family of Sparrowmen pitched in to help their hometown recover from a devastating earthquake that had almost split it in two. Many Birds helped out with the recovery, but the Sparrow family were considered the least likely to do anything significant about the crisis, and when the family managed to save many missing people and lives and provide food and water for the other Birdmen, they were reevaluated and praised as heroes. As a result, some of the Birds became a little less arrogant that day.

But the Birdmen had some not-so-good moments in their history, also. At one point, some disgruntled Birds formed a faction, led by Frauence the Yellow Warbler, because the Monkeys had denied them a Monkey test subject for an experiment a Bird scientist wanted to do for the sake of "important research." Frauence had gathered some Ravenmen and Crowmen, plus a sizeable amount of Birds of Prey, to wage civil war against the Monkeys, and this time, the UCB was unable to stop it from happening. This unjust war was fought for several years, with many falling on both sides, but in the end, the Birdmen lost, and Frauence, who wouldn't be taken as a living prisoner, fought on until a chimp killed her in single combat. The Birdmen were forced to answer for their war crimes, but since it wasn't the entirety of the Bird race that fought the war, relations were smoothed over eventually, and the Bird faction that fought the war was properly punished; some of them were executed, while others were jailed for years.

But darker days were to come for this tech-loving race of avians. Mumm-Ra, the Ever-Living demon lord, was ready to make his move on achieving ultimate power over the galaxy, and through unspeakably powerful magic, he captured and enslaved the Bird species, as well as many other Animal races, and forced them to fight in his unholy army against their wills, effectively destroying the Animal Confederation. But after years of oppression, some of the races, including the Cats and the Dogs, found valiant heroes in their ranks and broke themselves, and later, the Birds and other Animal races, out of Mumm-Ra's service, and defeated the demon lord himself for the time being. Four stones Mumm-Ra used to enhance his power were taken from him to weaken his innate strength, and after the escaping Animals all crash-landed on Third Earth some time later, the Birds offered to protect the one called the Tech Stone.

Despite losing so much, the Birdmen still knew how to make technological communities and cities, and how to research science, and at least two of them were built on Third Earth near the ThunderCats and the other Animals: the Bird Nation, and Avista, the floating city, powered by the Tech Stone. Since living in even closer proximity to the simpler Animal races, the Birds' arrogance remained firmly in place for the most part. But their society remained largely the same as it had been on their home planet, with Woodpeckers and Hummingbirds living in the wild, some of the humbler Birds, ranging from the Waterfowl to the Sparrowmen, and many more, living in the Bird Nation, and the largest majority residing in Avista, including the Birds of Prey, the Pigeons and Doves, and most of the Ravenmen. Avista had numerous universities, too, as well as good restaurants, mechanical homes, and the palace of the city's prefect.

The Birdmen worked harder than any species besides the Thunderians to remember their history, and in spite of their signature arrogance, most of them believed it was only the right thing to do to be hospitable to visitors, no matter how backwards or behind they may seem to be. Numerous Birds of Prey served as prefects for Avista, but most were quite conceited, and thought the Birds were so much better than all others. Then a female Falcon Bird named Valconara came to power as the prefect, and she was of humbler heart, discouraging the excessive pride of her people and hoping to bring a true sense of brotherhood and sisterhood between the Birds and the other races. Valconara was also a spiritual Bird, which was something uncommon, but not unheard of, in her science-loving species, and believed that whatever higher being created their race frowned on them when they were too proud of themselves. She met with the ThunderCats once and made a truce of friendship with King Claudus and his fellow Cats, and she promoted brotherhood and sisterhood among the Birdmen more than any ruler for many a year. The Warblerfolk and the Sparrowmen loved her particularly, as did the Game Birds, the Waterfowl, and some of the Ravenmen, but as strong a leader as she was, the greater number of her people didn't repent of their arrogant attitudes, and continued to scorn so-called "lower life-forms" whenever they could. And some of the Vulturemen in the Birds of Prey ranks even dared to mock Valconara herself. She scorned them in return for their insolence, so they stopped insulting her to her face, but they continued to make cutting remarks about her gentle rule behind her back. She learned of this, nonetheless, and it filled her with disappointment, and later, grief, as the Vultures began to spread rumors about Valconara looking to seize greater power in Avista. Their lies were boosted by spies of Mumm-Ra, who was looking for generals to lead his new army of Animals against the ThunderCats, and was hoping that Valconara's rule would be usurped by an easily duped, treacherous Bird who would betray the Birds and their city, ally them with him, and perhaps become another general.

The Vultures were unable to usurp Valconara while she lived, in part due to her strength of will and the wise words of her right-hand Dove, Cawk, but ultimately, Valconara grew weary of life and died, though she intended to pass on the role of prefect to her young son, Peregrin, who she trusted to continue to lead the Birdmen to a humbler and kinder society. Unfortunately, Peregrin, who was not as strong-willed as his mother, didn't last very long in his position. An extremely arrogant, dishonest, and cowardly Vulture Bird named Vultaire cleverly turned much of Avista against Peregrin, like he had originally intended to do to his stronger mother, and blackmailed Cawk into dropping out of her position as right-hand Bird of the city's leader. Then, in a rigged voting campaign, Vultaire took over as Avista's prefect and put a puppet assistant into the role of his right-hand man, a Pigeon named Horus.

The rest of their history to date is well known, as the barbarian Monkey Addicus was saved from execution by the Birds of the Bird Nation and he proceeded to eat the Birds that tried to kill him, as well as the coming of the ThunderCats, Mumm-Ra and his army, and the turncoat Cat, Pumyra, to Avista, coming for the Tech Stone that powered the city. Of course, with Pumyra's help, Mumm-Ra got the Stone, and Avista fell to the ground, though most of its civilian inhabitants still survived. The ThunderCats asked the robot Berbil bears to help the Birds repair their city, and Peregrin offered to help Lion-O, Lord of the ThunderCats, recover the Tech Stone for the sake of his people, and allied the Birdmen with the ThunderCats, too. As for Vultaire, he, too, was a turncoat, for upon seeing Mumm-Ra's power in action, he was so awed, and so scared, that he betrayed his own people to join Mumm-Ra's army.

Can the ThunderCats and Peregrin find the Tech Stone, as well as the other Stones, and save the people of Third Earth? We can only imagine.


End file.
